Playing off the wrong fairway

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Dave Knatt

Handicap : 20.1

Posted : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 13:27

An odd thing happened to me yesterday.

On my home course, the final hole is a Par 4 dog leg right to left, which passes the green and fairway of the 9th hole. There are trees to the left hand side of the 18th fairway.

Now, in order to have a clear approach shot to the green, a good 250 yd carry is required off the tee - something I'm not quite able to do, turning this Par 4 into a Par 5 for me!

But, yesterday I sliced my drive over the left hand trees (I'm left handed) quite badly and my ball landed on the 9th fairway. I was left with a reasonably awkward, but perfectly makeable 7 iron onto the green. I needed to carry the 9th green and some heavy rough but I did at least have a shot to the green - something I wouldn't have had if my initial drive had been straight and true.

So my question is this. Is it good course management to aim my future drives onto the 9th fairway (obviously ensuring that no-ones on that hole)? Or is this just bad form and highly questionable behaviour?

By the way, I just missed the green with my 7 iron but two putted for a bogey - a good score for me on this particular hole!

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Darren Millichip

Handicap : 7.8

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 13:49

Dave

Providing there is no local rule stating that it is OOB then yes DO IT!!!

obviously like you say make sure the way is clear so you dont injure anyone

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John Flood

Handicap : 11.9

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 14:43

Dave,

As Darren said if there's no rule saying you can't then you can take whatever approach you want.

I used to play at a course where they planted some new trees alongside the dogleg (dogleg was right to left & it was OOB on the left) & they marked them all GUR, Most people aimed for these off the tee knowing they would get a free drop & avoid the OOB.

I'm sure I watched some footage on one of the Opens where Seve played his tee shot towards a car park knowing the ground would be all trodden down & maybe even get a free drop, thus avoiding the fairway bunkers.

John.

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Patrick Bourke

Handicap : 11.1

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 14:48

Fill your boots Dave. It's the score that counts...you don't have to draw a map of how you did it.

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David Lythgoe

[FORUM MODERATOR]
Handicap : 2

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 14:52

John,

Seve, 16th Royal Lytham 1979. It wasn't to miss the bunkers, it was to give him a shot into wind with difficult pin position and he made the birdie on the way to a three shot victory.

TheLyth

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John Pettitt

Handicap : 18

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 15:40

I remember it well, Lyth.

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Russell Middleton

[FORUM MODERATOR]
Handicap : 14.8

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 16:10

It's not the way the hole is designed to be played, but if there are no OOB markers there then why not.

The 15th on the Priors course is easier to play if you aim your drive down the 5th fairway and cut back across to the green. I don't play it that way, but there is nothing in the rules to stop you.

Russ

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Tim Hawkins

Handicap : 16.2

Reply : Wed 3rd Feb 2010 16:28

One of our local courses cottoned on to that trick on a 452 yd par 4, not much of a dog-leg but a long second shot up a steep hill. However, belt it over to the previous holes fairway and it leaves a much shorter, flatter shot in. So they've widened the creek on the other fairway and started to line it with trees - specifically to stop that sort of thing.

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